Category Archives: Acupuncture

Do you have seasonal allergies? I, fortunately, do not, however those that do can suffer greatly during certain times of the year. Acupuncture may be able to help. In fact I chuckle to myself when I see an article in the paper or a magazine talking of the power of acupuncture to help a variety of issues. I use it almost daily in an effort to help patients deal with health issues. It works fabulously for most patients. I saw an article in the local paper that said it may help with allergies sighting a German study showing its effectiveness compared to sham acupuncture or medications. The nice thing about acupuncture is that it is non-invasive relative to other procedures and has a longer lasting effect without the need for medications. Though insurance generally doesn’t cover medications for allergies, the benefits will most likely outweigh the meager costs! Give it a try!

Did you know that acupuncture is good for treating tendinitis? Several studies have shown its effectiveness for reducing pain symptoms for tennis elbow, just one of many problems that acupuncture helps with. I typically use some electric stim and ultrasound along with the acupuncture in the more severe cases. In fact, I use acupuncture for almost any problem that I use my physical therapy modalities for, and often for issues that you normally wouldn’t consider using therapy equipment for. One of the most common reasons I use acupuncture for is stress. Yes, there are acupuncture points for that. Amazingly, it works very well. Even if you have an aversion to needles, they are quite thin and painless. Give it try sometime!!

Christmas always brings out the best or worst in people depending on if Santa has you on the naughty or nice list. Of course trying to be nice all year can be difficult and stressful. Did you know that acupuncture is great for stress? There are specific acupuncture points for patients that can help reduce the feeling of anxiety and stress associated with the holidays or those incidents in life that affect us. Also certain supplements are good at helping reduce stress symptoms such as B-complex, Valerian root, melatonin, magnesium and lemon balm among the many that are effective. Finally, laughing and smiling also seem to be good stress relievers. Don’t you just love the joyful sounds of children laughing during any occasion? Hopefully, your holiday season will be filled with love, laughter, fun, thankfulness and significantly less stress!

Wow! What an election! One for the ages! I am sure many people today are shocked with the outcome. Stress plays a huge role in our lives and the election outcome maybe one of them or following the Cubs during the last game of the World Series may be just as stressful. Did you know that acupuncture can help with stress and does so quite well. There are specific acupuncture points for stress and needling these points is quite effective at helping relieve the symptoms. Along with chiropractic care, acupuncture is a great adjunct, or stand alone treatment, for stress. It is actually very relaxing!! Remember that acupuncture can help with most problems that western medicine treats!

Did you know acupuncture can help with blood pressure? I use acupuncture for a variety of health issues and a new study proves that it can help lower blood pressure in mild to moderate instances of high blood pressure. The study showed a “significant” reduction in blood pressure as well as reducing the levels of chemicals associated with high blood pressure. This treatment will work for about 70% of participants with virtually none of the side effects associated with blood pressure medications. It took approximately one month for the results in reducing blood pressure, however, the lowered blood pressure persisted even after the acupuncture sessions were finished. Amazing stuff!!

If you have ever had a migraine headache or even a bad tension headache, good news is here! Acupuncture can help! Migraines affect over 29 million Americans and are more common in women. Many regular tension type headaches can progress to the more severe migraine type. Many migraines will slowly stop responding to medications because many migraine meds can reduce the neurotransmitters in the body, over time. Acupuncture is effective in treating migraines and regular headaches and does not have the unwanted side effects. Always try to find any triggers for your migraines and avoid them. I have used acupuncture in my practice for 20 years and I can proudly say that it is a safe, effective and relatively cost effective way to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines!

Acupuncture never ceases to amaze me as I use it often in my practice for a variety of things. Besides the usual uses for neck and back pain, I have used it successfully for hot flashes, bed wetting, stress, weight loss, headaches and sinus, restless leg syndrome, insomnia and a variety of other issues not normally associated with its use. Anything western medicine can treat, so can acupuncture, when in the hands of a knowledgeable practitioner. Live and learn!

Kids often get something we call restless leg syndrome (RLS). It is basically an issue with the legs constantly moving, or feeling terribly uncomfortable, especially during rest and sleeping. It also happens with adults and can interfere greatly with sleep. A very small study showed that increasing the iron (ferritin) levels in the blood using iron supplements could effectively controlled the problem within about 4 months. We have also used acupuncture along with combination of calcium, magnesium, Valerian root and passion flower for adults which is also quite effective.

We utilize Chinese Acupuncture for many of the same health problems that western medicine treats and it is often more effective.

Acupuncture is safe and extremely effective.

Can be performed with or without needles.

Virtually no side effects.

Acupuncture has literally been used for centuries for almost all health problems.

Acupuncture is probably the most amazing part of my practice, in that it has provided many of my patients with unbelievable and unexpected success. I have been utilizing it ever since I graduated from Chiropractic College, as I studied it while still in school. At this point I have over 12 years experience using it with my patients. Another neat aspect about acupuncture treatment is that most of my patients receive some degree of relief from their problems. Some get full relief and others partial relief however most patients experience positive results to one extent or another. Please keep in mind, that with any type of therapy, this may or may not be the right treatment for you and you may not have the success you are looking for, however it is a great treatment option when other avenues fail. You may experience success beyond your expectations. Often times it is a last resort for those seeking relief from problems that traditional approaches did not help. For many of my patients it is the first and only treatment they need.

Simply put, in layman’s terms, the basic theory/philosophy of Acupuncture is that each person has a ‘vital force or life energy’ (Chi) flowing throughout their body in ‘Meridians’. Meridians are invisible ‘channels’ that run along and within the body. Each meridian has multiple acupuncture points that allow access to those meridians. This Chi is usually in ‘balance’ however when you do not have this balance, you can experience disease or dysfunction.

The purpose of acupuncture is to locate and stimulate those specific points on the body that can revitalize or return the Chi to balance. When the vital force is balanced then the body will have reached an environment that allows resolution of the problem. There is not a ton of ‘scientific’ research on acupuncture however existing studies show that it is an effective treatment alternative to a variety of problems. Many of the acupuncture points are located near a nerve or blood vessel. Almost any problem that western medicine treats is also treatable with acupuncture.

Finally, it is not so important as to what one uses to stimulate the acupuncture points, but more importantly, to stimulate the correct points. Needles are typically used in acupuncture treatments, however there are other methods also including, electrical stimulation, cupping, stones and acupressure. If you cannot tolerate needles, there is still a method that will provide similar results. There is so much to learn about this ancient form of Asian medicine that one could probably study a lifetime and not know or understand it all. All I can tell you is that I use it in my practice and it works, often remarkably so!

For more information or to set up a consult or appointment, please call or office at 630-351-4700

At first glance, acupuncture is one of those seemingly strange therapies that most people are curious about but do not understand the ancient philosophy involved with it. Yes, acupuncture may help you. Acupuncture can be used to treat almost any disease or disorder that western medicine treats. Like any particular therapy, it is more effective for some individuals than others. Many of our patients have sought acupuncture as a last resort for relief of symptoms when other treatments failed them, while others have used it for years with great results. It is one of the few effective treatments with virtually little if any side effects. Acupuncture can provide outstanding results.